Zel - R.S.G. Book Project

People of the Revolution

Oliver Zel Mrs. Schwartzman Writing Lab Period 6

Da - Zi - Bao The Jiang family has been accused of having a black background that influences other families and children to act inappropriately to adults. There also have been sightings of their child, Ji-Li, robbing the local four old containment to, so called, relive the past!

Also there has been sightings of the child ,Ji-li, helping the people who needed to sweep the city in public. This action is strictly forbidden and she should be punished as soon as possible. Also her mother was caught being rude to one of our 'estemmed red guards.

Dispose four Olds 說不破四舊 Come to Recycle your four olds to make our flags!

Cultural Revolution

Tug of “War�

I am an independant, twelve year old girl.

I wonder if the future has some good to come.

I hear the moans of the citizens sent to sweep the courtyard.

I see the teachers attempting to climb the factory chimney.

I want for everything to go back to normal.

I am an independant, twelve year old girl.

I pretend that An-Yi and I are playing in the park.

I feel my father’s warm hug, that I dearly miss.

I touch my heart to feel the beat accelerate, and accelerate I worry if I will give in and disown my family.

I cry when my father is brought home for a period of time.

I am an independant, twelve year old girl..

I understand what I must do in order to leave this oppression.

I say to my mother that I am okay, while I might not be.

I dream of a life where none of this existed.

I try not to give in to this revolution, but it gets the best of me.

I hope no one else has to go through what I am.

I am an independant, twelve year old girl.

Chinese Catalyst In 1966, China’s Communist leader, Mao Zedong, launched something called the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Mao created this revolution in order to banish old ideas or ways of doing things, or properly called four olds. Believing that current Communist leaders were were doing badly, Mao called on the nation’s youth to purge the “impure” people of the Chinese society, which were the people with black class status. Black class status was if a person or its relatives were either a landlord, a rich peasant, a counter revolutionist, a criminal, or a rightist. In my opinion this entire revolution was just a scam to frighten and slaughter tens of millions of people. Nothing actually positive came out of this revolution, only the consequences and negativity.

Not only did this affect peoples lives due to the new ways of doing things, but it also took approximately seventy-eight million lives just to complete… nothing. If there is anything that was good that came out of the revolution was that now that people out in the world running their own country, city, state, or anything else, then they now know what not to do while attempting a revolution. Another reason why Chairman Mao’s plan for a revolution didn’t work was because he used fear to control his chaos, which would just lead to rebellion, which did occur in the case of Mao Zedong. The most successful way to run a place, in my opinion, would be to use respect and honor to control ones chaos, which never leads to rebellion because there is nothing to rebel against.

The book “Red Scarf Girl” was a very transformative experience in reading. I highly recommend reading this story because it really changes your opinion one some very important factors such as if there should be allowed to have derogatory remarks on advertisements.

December 6, 1966 Dear Diary, They ransacked out home today, hoping that they wouldn’t find the pictures, but of course they did. Nothing good comes to this family, while i work so hard to still put food on the table. Now that Xi-Reng is now detained i feel like just me isnt enough for Ji-Li, Ji-Yong, and Ji-Yun to still have a pleasant healthy life. Also since Grandma and the children are away from the home, the red guards are suspicious. I see one looking at me through the window! I must stop writing. Goodbye.

From, Chen Ying November 27, 1967 Dear Diary, Sadly I have just let Song Po-Po go because I am so afraid of being accused of exploiting workers. All of these red guards and their rules are really making an impact on our lives. Also i heard at school they are still oppressing Ji-Li at school, and I just wish I could do something about it.. I know that I haven’t been writing in my diary but I am still afraid of writing because a guard maybe would suspect that i am writing to someone against the revolution. I must go. Someone is at the door.

January 1 , 1968

From, Chen Ying

Dear Diary, Things could not be going worse! Xi-Reng. has been detained! Ji-Yun’s backpack was taken by darn bullies, and Ji-Li’s had been continuously harassed for this stupid black class status oppression. I can’t take this revolution anymore!

From, Chen Ying

About the Author

MY name is Oliver Zel, and I am thirteen years of age . I attend Gulliver Academy in Miami, Florida.

After reading “Red Scarf Girl�, my opinion of certain things definitely changed on many different topics such as if the government should not allow bias or derogatory remarks on propaganda and advertisements. Before I read this story i thought that no damage would be done if a little criticism was done publicly, but now I realize that since the little bit of criticism was not intended towards me, then I wouldn’t know how much damage such a small few words can do. An example of this is when Ji-Li is oppressed and harassed for having black class status just by one hurtful propaganda sign.